Grace Is GreaterSample

Sometimes it feels as though we are not just drifting into sin but actively being pushed into it. Could that be true?

It turns out that grace is not without enemies.

So, what makes us drift away from God and his grace? The Bible teaches that three distinct forces cause us to drift away from God: the flesh, the world, and the devil. These are the enemies of grace. Ever since Adam sinned in the garden of Eden, we have been under a curse (Genesis 3). Our world is broken. 

What was meant to be whole is instead fractured.

What was meant to be good is instead corrupted.

What was meant to be orderly is instead disorganized.

As long as we are following the ways of the world, we will move toward brokenness and death rather than God’s grace and life. The world wages war against our souls. 

Since that original sin, the devil has a measure of power in the world. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour.” If it feels like someone is actively opposed to your life and holiness, it’s true. The devil will one day be defeated, but until then, he is taking down as many people as he can.

Another enemy of grace is our own “flesh” — our hearts, minds, and bodies apart from Christ. We have this inner dueling between the Spirit of God within us and our old ways and habits of life.

When we find ourselves doing things apart from God’s will and law, we are living by the flesh. Paul writes, “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)

Although these three enemies of grace besiege us each day, they do not have final power over us. God’s grace is greater than even these!

As Paul writes in our passage, we “used to live” under the power of these forces, but now God’s Spirit dwells within us to overcome these threats.

At the return of Christ, the world will one day be restored to its original good, the flesh will die, and we will be raised with Christ, and the devil will be defeated for all eternity.